Question One: What is the most significant reason you are running for Council?

I love this community, I want to do my part in making it better. I believe in the four pillars of sustainaibility and that it needs to be properly represented at the table. I want a more balanced decision making, I believe I can contribute to that balance. There are so many reasons I am running, but the general answer is there NEEDS to be room at the table for all voices to make Terrace more sustainable. Social and cultural voices are underrepresented at the table, I'd like to help with a more social voice and experience. Culturally I'd like to build the relationships with Aborginal, but also with all people of varying ethnic and cultural backgrounds in hopes that they will become more involved in decision making and consultation. I not only respect varying view points, on city council there should be varying view points.

This is how you get the full picture. This is how as a community you start to ensure a more broad representation.

Question Two: What issue in our community do you see as the largest hurdle for the success in Terrace?

The growing gap for families and individuals with lower income. Safe housing is continuing to move away from the grasp of average people. We as a community need to be proactive in becoming prepared for these "booms" coming. We need to be looking ahead and realizing that with a great influx of people, we will be pushing local people out of their housing as prices increase. We need to acknowledge and realize that in drawing people to move and stay in the area we need to offer more than a job. People don't tend to want to stay where there is people sleeping on the streets, where there is high crime, where youth are not considered when decisions are made and therefore we have a high population of unengaged, uninterested, bored and feeling unappreciated youth. Lets start looking at these things and talking about them openly so that we might join our collective wisdom and tackling some issues.

I believe we do not have to push others down to lift ourselves up. Infact, we can grab the hand of the person beside us and assist in lifting them as well.

Question Three: What is your stance on Enbridge, In Favour of, Opposed too or Neutral? Why?

Opposed. The risks outweigh the benefits. It will be a handful at most of long term jobs after building. So the argument that we need the jobs is lost when you look at the real numbers for permanent jobs. If the jobs are coming in building lets promote, look for funding and push for responsible building projects. We as a community are responsible for making sure this beautiful city and it's environmental benefits are here for our children, grandchildren and their children.

No pipline, No problem.

Question Four: The Co-op building is being demolished. What is your vision for the use of this land?

My vision is to look at the visions. Many agencies and individuals have been coming together for years, http://www.askravenicreative.comWas a plan drawn up through community collaboration and dialouge. It incorporates a multiplex.

I would love to see that or something similar grow. I do not want to see it sold at fire sale prices to offload it to foreign investors, while losing the financial contributions and work/efforts that have already been put into it.

Some people say we need to sell it to get the property tax revenue. We can get revenue by developing it for multi use with a shared space for business, not for profit and community. It is a large lot, if it is developed by the community I would absolutely want to see some kind of co-op or mixed use housing as well. The property can also be subdivided to sell portions and develop portions. I would like to see green space.

In essence I would like this to become a "town square". Where community are prospering together. I realize people deem this 'pie in the sky'. I have spent a lot of time with the people who spearhead community uses for this property and believe they have the will, drive and persistence to help make it happen.

A community centre, a cultural centre, a centre for excellence, non-profit offices, small business offices, retail spaces, mixed use housing, a proper fully accessibly confrence centre all of which generate revenue to this community.

I do think however, in the meantime we should be fundraising and working towards making it a green space in the meantime. We have enough empty fenced off dirt and concrete lots. It is just important that it is understood that the 'park' like setting is temporary while we work to create something magnificent.

Question Five: Potpourri?

Exactly, we need mixed representation to represent all of the community. Lets teach our children through example that people can work together. As opposed to economic above all else, lets start looking at economic with social with environment with culture. Through working together, we can build a more sustainable, welcoming, inclusive, accessible and growing community.